Apparatus for maintaining load on lengthwise moving workpieces



Oct. 7, 1952 M. N. WEBER 2,613,078

APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING LOAD ON LENGTHWISE MOVING WORKPIECES Filed Aug. 1, 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 IN V EN TOR.

M1120 /v. Weber A Har -news.

Oct. 7, 1952 WEBER 2,613,078

APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING LOAD ON LENGTHWISE MOVING WORKPIECES Filed Aug. '1, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVEN TOR.

Mf/zon N. Weber" A iiorneqs.

Patented Oct. 7, 1952 s PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING LOAD N LENGTHWIS'E' MOVING WORKPIEGES MiltonN weber', l )etroit, Mich,, .assignor of onehalf Herbert W. Lifik, Detroit, Mich.

' Application August 1, 1950;Serial No: 177,077

6' claims. (oi. ctr-as? This invention is directed to thematter of maintaining a substantially uniform action on work material which isbeing moved through a machine and in so doing passes over guiding eleents as o r I l I The inventionis concerned with work material whichmay be in the form of paper or a sheet of webbing whichis moved in the making. of paper, or any other sheet material, such as fabric, or other elongated work material, such as yarn, or

other fibersj While the invention is concerned with a situation where a rather delicate. control is desired, the invention may be used with work material of metal.

that the desired load condition is restored and maintained.

Fig. 1 is a general view of schematic nature showing a suitable machine for propelling a work piece through the same. v V I Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partly in section I showing a sensitive roller.

Fig. 3 is anenlarged sectional view taken througha controllingvalve. s

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken "through a pneumatic motor.

Fig; 5 is a further enlarged sectional View taken through the pressure balancing mechanism.

In the drawings; the work piece is indicated at w, and is shown as being in the form of a web I or sheet. It is to be moved through an apparatus which has a body or base portion l and a series of guide devices or rollers generally indicated at 2; 3; 4 and 5. The web or sheet also passes over a driving roller '1 which is driven by suitable means such as an electric motor 8 which, through a suitable means such as a belt 9, drives the roller '5 through a variable speed transmission generally indicated at It. I

The details of the construction of the variable speeddriving device or transmission l fl need not i be consideredta t length herein because such device is available on the inearleet. S uifice to say, that with the motor 8 running at a constant speed. thesped ratiobetwen the motor and the 7 driving roller 1 may be varied by the shift of a control lever i of the transmission.

7 As indicated in Big. 2 theroller 3 is journalle'd in a pillow block 1 5 at one end fixedly supported b a supl ort ifi and a pillow block n at its opposite end. The bearings in the pillow blocks are advantageously of: the anti-friction bearing type with each bearing being shown in the form of a ball bearing The outer races [8 and I9 have concaved faces which engage the balls as shown and thus one 15mm block may be raised or lowered, or shifted laterally as far asthat is concerned, wit hout binding. The pillow block I! is supported on what may.,convenient ly be termed a meme generally illustrated at and shown in detail in rug. .5, his; load cap induces a housing portion 2 in which a post 22 is mounted for-up and downmovement as Fig. 5 is viewed, and the past is preferably mounted for movement instantnseam member as by means of ball bearings '23. The pillow block I! is mounted on this post spiresns or a base member 24. The lowei' end of the post has apomon 25clamped to a diaph'r'agm 26 as bymeans of a plate or washer 21 and a cap serew 28 whichis also a valve member, The lower peruse tim load cap is comprised of body members 30, 3| and 32 and the outer periphery of; the diaphragm is engaged between theni'einbers 3'0 and 3 I, as indicated, and this" aifrangemefitprovides an exhaust chamber ttabov'e the diaphra fl which has an exhaust port'Mend a pie'ssiire chamber 35below the diaphragm. V L M p Air under pi ssure' is supplied through. a pressure line 31which conhectsinto a passageway 38 and thence to a tube 33 which connects into a fitting dl). I The fitting 40 base valve seat and a valve membeij 4! has a head 42" held on the. seat by a 'spring fiii. The valve member 4| has an upper end 45 arranged to seat and engage the seat in the cap screw valve 28. The cap screw ZB has a passage 41 therein which communicates with t e pas age iii'ladihg to the chamber as.

Extending from'the pressure chamber 35 is a passage which 'connectsto a line 5| which may have a pressure gauge 49 therein and the line 5! extends roacomrtivnve generally indicated at 52. This control valve, as shown in Fig. 3, has two interconnected diaphragms 53 and 54 formirigcham'bers liiiand 56 and chambers 51 and 58.

The diaphragms are connected by a rod 59 which has' a valving portion 60 arrangedto function withports a's indicated at BI and 62 with a valveme'rnber 63. Air pressure is introduced to the valve member through a line 65 which, in turn connects with passage 66 which communicates with the ports 6|. There is a Vent 61 for the chamber 51. A passage H1 in the valve 52 joins with a passage H which connects to the ports 62 and to a pressure line 72 which leads to a pneumatic motor 15. This motor has a diaphragm l! with a piston rod 16 thereon for connection to the control lever ll of the variable speed transmission. The motor has a chamber 18 on one side of the diaphragm into which line 12 connects and the diaphragm may be acted on by a spring 19 operating in opposition to pressure in the chamber 18.

Connected into the valve 52 is a pressure line 80 in which there is a pressure regulator valve 8 I. The pressures entering through line and line 80 are opposing as will be appreciated by refer-. ence to Fig. 3 and act in a balancing manner.

In considering the operation of the apparatus it may be assumed that the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is operating with the work piece bein propelled through the machine by the driving roller 1. Assume also that air under pressure is being supplied through line 31 and through lines 55 and 80. Pressure entering the load cap arrangement through the line 31 flows to the valve 42. If the pressure in chamber 35 just balances the pressure of the work on the roller 3, the valve 42 is closed and the valve at 45 is closed and the system at that moment i static. If the load on the roller 3 is increased, as may result from an increase in the tension on the work piece, the pressure in chamber 35 is inadequate and so one end of the roller 3 and the plunger 22 shifts downwardly under the load. This opens valve 42 and instantly air under pressure enters chamber 35, elevates the pillow block I! and restores the situation. If the load on the roller 3 decreases the air pressure in chamber-35 pushes the pillow block I! upwardly thus openingv valve 45 and some of the air in chamber 35 is exhausted through the passageways 41 and 48 which lead to the chamber 33 which, in turn, is open to atmosphere through passage 35. This discharge lessens the pressure in chamber 35 and the parts are restored to a normal condition.

It is to be pointed out that the movements vertically of the pillow block I! and the post 2 is almost infinitesimal. From the practical standpoint, there is no substantial movement. The total movement will usually not exceed very few thousandths of an inch since it takes only an extremely small increment of movement to open the valve 42 and valve 45.

The pressure required to balance the load is transmitted through line 5| into the valve 52 and this pressure may be gauged if desired at the gauge 49. The pressure entering the valve 8|, reacts against the pressure entering through the line 5|. Thus. by manipulation of valve 8|, an operator may determine the pressure to be maintained in the chamber 35. Thus, the critical operating pressure exerted by the work piece on the roller 3 may be determined.

Let it be assumed that the condition exists where there is increase in pressure on the roller 3. This, a above explained, lets air into the chamber 35 until the increased pressure is balanced. This increase in pressure is also transmitted to the chamber 55 of valve 52 and the valve 60 is depressed thus opening port 6| for the entrance of air under pressure from line 65. Air flows into chamber 56 until valve 60 is closed and this increased pressure is transmitted to the motor 15 and specifically to the chamber 18 which causes a shift of the diaphragm TI and the rod 16 which actuates the lever H to reduce the speed of the roller 1. This entire action takes place in much less time than it takes to describe the same. In brief, the tension on the work piece wa too high and the resultant increase of pressure causes a slight reduction in speed of the roller 1.

On the other hand, if the webbing is loosened resulting in less pressure on the roller 3 the valve opens and some of the air under pressure in chamber 35 is exhausted. This correspondingly lowers the pressure in chamber and the pressure in chamber 58 pushes the valve 60 upwardly thus opening the port 62 and allowing a discharge of air from the motor 15 through the vent 61, thusagain actuating the lever H to increase the speed of the driving roller 1 and increase the tension on the work.

' It will be appreciated how the tension onthe work piece can thus be accurately maintained and furthermore can be regulated 'by'means of the regulating valve 8| which governs the pressure in chamber 58 which acts in opposition to the pressure in chamber 55 which is the same as the pressure in chamber 35. Because only an infinitesimal amount of movement is necessary in the pillow block ll only one end of the roller 3 need be so equipped with the mechanism of this invention.

I claim: V

1. In combination with a machine having guide devices overwhich a long work piece moves for passage of the work piece through the machine with lengthwise movement, including a driving roller which the work piece engages and a variable speed driving mechanism for driving the roller to propel the work piece, said variable speed driving mechanism having a control member which is shiftable to vary the speed of the driving roller; an air pressure device for supporting a guide device, valve means sensible to variations in the load on the guide device for varying the air pressure which supports the guide device, means for shifting the control member and means operable incident to variation in the air pressure which supports the guide device for actuating said control means of the variable speed driving mechanism.

2. In combination with a machine having guide devices over which a long work piece moves for passage of the work piece through the machine with lengthwise movement, including a driving roller which the work piece engages and a variable speed driving mechanism for driving the roller to propel the work piece, said variable speed driving mechanism having a control member which is shiftable t-o vary'the speed of the driving roller; an air pressure device for supporting a guide device, valve means sensible to variations, in the load on the guide device for varying the air pressure which supports the guide device, means for shifting said control member, a control valve, means for conducting the air under pressure which supports the guiding device to the control valve, means for conducting air under pressure to the control valve and applying the same so that the force thereof acts against the pressure which supports the guide device, said control valve being sensitive to and movable incident to variations in the pressure which supports the guide device and means connecting the control valve with the said means for shifting the control member whereby said means is actuated upon variation in the supporting pressure.

3. In combination with a machine having guide devices over which a long work piece moves for passage of the work piece through the machine with lengthwise movement, including a driving roller which the work piece engages and a variable speed driving mechanism for driving the roller topropel the work piece, said variable speed driving mechanism having a control member which is shiftable to vary the speed of the driving roller; an air pressure device for supporting a guide device, valve means sensible to variations in the load on the guide device for varying the air pressure which supports the guide device, means for shifting the said control member, a control valve, means for supplying air pressure thereto, a vent in the control valve, an air pressure line extending from the control valve to said shifting means, means for connecting the air pressure which supports the guide device to the control valve, means for supplying air pressure to the control valve so that said pressure acts in opposition to the pressure transmitted to the control valve from the said supporting pressure, said control valve being shiftable upon variation in the air pressure which supports the control device for actuating the control valve to connect said shifting means to the air pressure and to the vent in accordance with the direction of shift of the control valve to thereby vary the variable speed driving mechanism.

4. In combination with a machine having guide devices over which a long work piece moves for passage of the work piece through the machine with lengthwise movement, including a driving roller which the work piece engages and a variable speed driving mechanism for driving the roller to propel the work piece, said variable speed driving mechanism having a control memher which is shiftable to vary the speed of the driving roller; an air pressure device for supporting a guide device, valve means sensible to variations in the load on the guide device for varying the air pressure which supports the guide device, a pneumatic motor for shifting said control member, a control valve, means for supplying air under pressure to the pneumatic motor 1 elongated work piece which is passing through a machine having guide devices over which the work piece moves and which machine includes a driving roller with which the work piece makes contact and a variable speed driving mechanism for the roller to propel the work piece, said variable speed driving mechanism having a control member which is shiftable to vary the speed of the driving roller; an air pressure device for supporting a guide device, valve means sensible to variations in the load on the guide device for causing variation in the air pressure which supports the guide device, means for shifting the control member and means operable incident to variations in the supporting air pressure for actuating said control means of the variable speed driving mechanism.

6. Apparatus for controlling the load on an elongated work piece which is passing through a machine having guide devices over which the work piece moves and which machine includes a driving roller with which the work piece makes contact and a variable speed driving mechanism for the roller to propel the work piece, said variable speed driving mechanism having a control member which is shiftable to vary the speed of the driving roller; an air pressure device for supporting a guide device, valve means sensible to variations in the load on the guide device for causing variation in the air pressure which supports the guide device, a pneumatic motor for shifting said control member, means for supplying air pressure to and for venting said pneumatic.

motor, a control valve for governing the supply of air pressure and for venting of a pneumatic motor, means for conducting the supporting air pressure to the control valve, said control valve being shiftable upon variation of the pressure in the supporting air pressure for connecting the pneumatic motor to air pressure and to the vent in accordance with movement of the control valve.

MILTON N. WEBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record :in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,545,638 Clay July 14, 1925 1,692,955 Rowley et al Nov. 27, 1928 2,013,810 Shimek Sept. 10, 1935 2,078,701 Tytus Apr. 27, 1937 2,283,753 Harcum May 19, 1942 2,286,282 Joesting June .16, 1942 r 2,296,979 Byrne Sept. 29, 1942 

